Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Our week in Haiti!!!

We just returned from a very busy week visiting Isaac and completing several more steps in our adoption process. We arrived to the Guest House on Saturday, 8/11. Isaac was standing in the foyer as soon as we opened the door. We just hugged him and couldn't even speak due to the overwhelming emotions! Shortly after we were escorted to our room, Isaac thought it would be a good time to take a nap.

Sunday, we rode to church in a Tap Tap which is a very common form of transportation in Haiti. Isaac was scared and cried part of this trip.

Monday, we left Isaac at the Creche so that we could go to the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince to file more adoption paperwork. We completed this step and were assigned a Birth Parent Interview for September 17th. This is when the birth parents will be questioned by the Embassy to make sure that they understand and want to give up their child.

Tuesday, we had an appointment in Lower Court. We met the birth parents and were able to ask them questions. The parents are now separated and Isaac is the only child that they have together. His father is a farmer which is a very difficult profession in Haiti because much of the ground is rock. The mother is currently unemployed just like 70-75% of the people in Haiti. They wanted to make sure that we were a Christian family who would take care of their boy. At this point the tears were flowing as I assured them that this was the case.

Wednesday, August 15th was Isaac's 3rd birthday! We were able to relax that day and just spend time with Isaac. He loves to play cars, blocks and throw balls. We also took him swimming which he LOVED!!!

Thursday, we went to Higher Court. There are no appointments for this court......it's first come, first serve. We arrived early and were told that the judge had a meeting and had not yet arrived. We waited almost 4 hours and he was so busy that he just reviewed our Dossier, signed the papers and never laid eyes on us....that's Haiti for you!!! :-)

Friday was the day we left. We spent the morning playing with Isaac and walking around the grounds. He loved to wear his backpack!

Isaac is a very happy boy and has the cutest giggle!!!

Then it was time for us to leave. We had a very productive week and a wonderful time bonding with Isaac. Please continue to pray that our adoption process will be swift.

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Isaac Marvens

Please help us bring Isaac home.

Our Adoption Timeline

September 2009 ~ We attended an adoption seminar and started praying about growing our family through adoption. (Note: Isaac was just born!!!)

Spring 2011 ~ We decide we will begin the adoption process as soon as we get back from our mission trips. Stacey to Haiti and Keith to Nicaragua.

June 2011 ~ Mailed application for Home Study and received acceptance email from New Life Link (NLL), Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

August 2011 ~ Complete home study (two visits with Social Worker) and completed Psychological Eval.

September 2011~ Necessary forms both county and state certified. Dossier sent for translation. Mailed I-600a and request for fingerprinting.

October 2011 ~ Received translated Dossier, mailed documents to Miami for legalization from the Haitian Consulate, and completed fingerprinting.

November 2011 ~ Received I-171H, received documents back from Miami, mailed Dossier to Haiti via FedEx. NLL received our Dossier and we got our referral the next day. Nov. 30, 2011 we see Isaac's picture for the first time.

December 2011 ~ On Dec. 28, our Dossier entered IBESR.

July 2012 ~ Our Dossier exited IBESR.

August 2012 ~ Met Isaac for the first time. Filed paperwork at the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince. Completed both Lower and Higher Court.

September 2012 ~Receive Presidential Dispensation, birth parents were interviewed at the US Embassy, and our Dossier entered Parquet.

December 2012 ~Exited Parquet and receive signed Adoption Decree (meaning adoption is technically final and Isaac has our last name!!!).

February 2012 ~Dossier entered MOI, which is the last Haitian step to get approval for passport.

“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40